


In the Shadows

by arimi_skywalker



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-28
Updated: 2014-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-06 10:30:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1105742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arimi_skywalker/pseuds/arimi_skywalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In his more than six hundred years of existence, Sho's voice had never failed him before. That is, until he met the librarian Aiba Masaki...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sho

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kurosakasu](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=kurosakasu).



**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to [furokugal](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) and [kurosakasu](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) for checking and correcting this text for me.

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I'd never met anyone like him.  
  
In my more than six hundred years of existence, I'd come across all types of human beings; some that were easy to persuade, and some were full of energy. There were also others that were unapproachable among their peers, while others had the ability to live in a different reality. The more energetic or creative they were, the more I liked them, but this particular one, he was different. He wasn't especially smart, creative, or elegant, yet whenever he was around, my mind was filled only with thoughts of him. I couldn't think about anything else other than his smile, and his delicious scent.  
  
One of the members of my clan, who also happened to be one of my closest friends, had caused a fuss among the humans several weeks ago. He had lost control and attacked his prey too openly, leading us to pay extra alert and be more careful now. The whole clan had been living off the blood of animals for the past few weeks, so I was basically starving. My natural instincts urged me to attack this human right away, but it was the first time I'd dealt with someone like him, and I think it aroused me on some level.  
  
"Good evening!", he beamed from behind the counter. "How are you today, Sakurai-san?"  
  
I smirked.  
  
"Hungry"  
  
"Oh, well! It's about dinner time and I'm starting to get kind of hungry myself too", he chuckled. "I know a restaurant down the street that serves the best beef in town. Do you like beef?"  
  
"Yeah, I love meat. Fresh, red meat"  
  
"Really? I like fresh meat too, but not when it's red. I prefer mine a little more cooked~ Anyway, if you want to have some good _hayashi raisu_ , I would be glad to give you directions"  
  
"I'll give it a try", I said, lowering my voice to an alluring tone. "Although I would prefer something slightly tastier for dinner"  
  
I stared at him intently.  
  
My voice was my strong point. Human beings were easily charmed by it, and they normally fell under my spell right away. They would stop paying attention to the words I spoke. As soon as they heard the low and calm tone that I purposefully adopted to attract them, they would follow everything I said. However, this particular one, Aiba Masaki, who worked in a library north of Nihonbashi, seemed unaffected by it. No matter how hard I tried, he was oblivious to my intentions, and always replied to me in his usual innocent, and almost naive way.  
  
"Tastier?", he was pensive. "What's your favorite food?"  
  
I sighed, feeling frustrated.  
  
" _Hayashi raisu_ is fine"  
  
The smile on his lips widened.  
  
"Great!", he said, pulling out a name card of the library and writing on its back. "This is the address. It's pretty close by, so it's the perfect place to go if you're hungry"  
  
Aiba handed the card to me, which I accepted with both hands as I bowed to him.  
  
"Thank you", I said.  
  
He leaned towards me, getting really close.  
  
"Tell the waiter you know me", he whispered. "You'll get a discount"  
  
I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face, and his whole scent hit my nose. It was fresh like after a rain shower, warm like a ray of sunshine, and deep like the damp soil on the forest floor. It had been driving me crazy since the very first day I met him, and I had to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths in order to control myself so that I wouldn't jump on him right in front of everyone else.  
  
"Sakurai-san?"  
  
When I opened my eyes, Aiba had moved away and was staring at me.  
  
"Are you alright?", he blinked, tilting his head slightly.  
  
I cleared my throat, and placed my books on the counter.  
  
"I'll take these today"  
  
" _Hai_!"  
  
He nodded and registered those two books under my name in the computer, then he gave them back to me with a bow while reminding me that I had two weeks to return them. I bowed back, and couldn't help staring at him, his intoxicating scent still floating through my mind. I could only imagine how delicious his blood would taste.  
  
"I'll tell you about the _hayashi raisu_ when I bring these back", I said.  
  
"I'll be looking forward to it!", he beamed.  
  
I forced a smile back, and bowed again before I left.  
  
He was totally oblivious to the effect he had on me, and I was starting to become obsessed with him. The only time I ever get involved with the humans was during the hunt, but lately I had been visiting the library and following Aiba around way too often. I thought about pulling him into a dark alley many times, and simply attacking him there, but I enjoyed my meals the most when they were surrendered to me. I loved having their soul right after I made their body mine. But with Aiba, I was sure that the wait would be well worth it.  
  
"If I have to eat stray cats for dinner one more night, I'm seriously going to be sick"  
  
Nino tossed the lifeless cat in his hands away, and wiped the remaining blood off his lips.  
  
"What do you suggest then?", I asked.  
  
"Humans. Fresh human blood"  
  
I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Don't tell me you aren't tired of eating stupid cats", he made a disgusted face. "It's one of the lowest things I've ever done!"  
  
"You know we don't have a choice"  
  
"How many days have passed since the incident? I bet those silly humans have already forgotten all about it. They don't have the brain capacity to keep their memories for so long"  
  
"They still have people on watch. It wouldn't be smart to go hunting right now"  
  
Nino crossed his arms over his chest, and snorted.  
  
"You realize we weren't designed to eat stray cats? It's an insult to our nature!"  
  
"If you had been more careful and didn't go around killing humans without any self-control, we wouldn't be in this situation"  
  
"Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot, you're perfect"  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"No, I'm not perfect. But I try to control myself, for my own safety, and for the sake of the clan"  
  
"Fuck the clan, seriously", he said.  
  
"Nino, you shouldn't speak like that", Ohno approached him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "We'll be able to hunt again in a couple of days, when the humans stop looking around the forest. Matsumoto-sama is always looking out for us, so we owe him, okay? We can't take any more risks"  
  
Ohno placed his hands on Nino's cheeks and caressed him with his thumb.  
  
"Bullshit!", Nino protested. "I'm hungry! These cats aren't enough"  
  
"Why don't you go deeper into the forest and look for some bears then?", Ohno asked with a flashing smile.  
  
"Too much work"  
  
I clicked my tongue.  
  
"Can you stop acting like a spoiled brat?"  
  
Nino gave me a look.  
  
"At least I don't go following humans around, pathetically desperate, like you do"  
  
"I'm not desperate!", I exclaimed  
  
"Then what's that awful smell?", he scoffed.  
  
" _Hayashi raisu_ "  
  
" _Hayashi raisu_?", Ohno asked.  
  
Nino snorted.  
  
" _Hayashi raisu_...", he said in a mocking tone.  
  
"Yeah, _hayashi raisu_. It wasn't that bad, you know"  
  
"We don't need it. It's a waste of time", Nino stated.  
  
"I know we don't need it, but we can still enjoy the flavors, and it isn't that bad to remember our days as humans every once in a while"  
  
Both Ohno and Nino looked at me, bewildered.  
  
"Don't look at me like that", I shifted awkwardly. "I'm not saying I want to be a human again, but I can still enjoy their food, right? What's wrong with that?"  
  
Ohno blinked and looked at Nino, who narrowed his eyes.  
  
"You aren't thinking about doing anything stupid, right?"  
  
"Right", I replied.  
  
"Right?", Nino raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I said right"  
  
There was an awkward silence.  
  
"Sho...", Ohno was the one to break it.  
  
"What? I'm serious! I'm not thinking about anything! Why are you making such a fuss over something so trivial? It's just a plate of _hayashi raisu_. Is it that wrong that I enjoyed it?"  
  
"It isn't wrong, but we're worried about you. You've been following that human around for far too long, and now you're eating their food"  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe you're the ones who are wrong?", I defended myself. "Instead of trying to enjoy the world around you, all you think about is hunting and killing humans. I like it too, but I think there are more things to life than just that"  
Nino clicked his tongue.  
  
"Do you hear yourself?", he snapped. "You're obsessed with that guy, and you're going to end up causing trouble for all of us. I don't even want to think about what might happen if Matsumoto-sama knows about this. He will be furious"  
  
"Nino is right", Ohno sighed. "You should be careful, Sho"  
  
"I am careful"  
  
"Maybe not enough"  
  
"I am careful, I said", I stared daggers at them. "I'm just trying to hunt him, but he won't take my bait. That's all"  
  
"You've never had problems with hunting humans before"  
  
"I know, but Aiba is different"  
  
"You even call him by his name?!", Nino rolled his eyes.  
  
"I know what I'm doing, Nino. I wasn't born yesterday"  
  
"What's so special about him? Why don't you chase another human?"  
  
"I don't know. It's his scent. It drives me crazy"  
  
"His scent?"  
  
"Yeah, he smells like a rain shower, and sunshine, and the forest"  
  
My two friends blinked at my words, which made me look away, feeling embarrassed.  
  
"Rain showers? Sunshine? Even the forest?", Nino narrowed his eyes again.  
  
"Shut up!", I fiercely bared my teeth at him.  
  
Ohno quickly approached me, and placed his hand on my chest.  
  
"Calm down, Sho. We shouldn't fight"  
  
"Tell that to the brat!"  
  
"He's only worried", he looked at me. "And so am I"  
  
"He's a human, and I was designed to kill humans, I know that. There's no need to pester me like this. I'm already frustrated enough because I'm unable to catch him"  
  
Ohno sighed.  
  
"It's okay, I understand. You only want his blood"  
  
"Exactly"  
  
"Just be careful, please"  
  
I looked down at him.  
  
"I only want him as my dinner"  
  
Ohno nodded.  
  
"I believe you"  
  
"I don't"  
  
"Nino!", Ohno scolded him.  
  
"What?"  
  
Ohno sighed at his bratty partner and wrapped his arms around his waist.  
  
"Sho is our friend, and he's sensible. Quit being so stubborn and just give him a chance"  
  
Nino rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that night.  
  
"Whatever", he said.  
  
"Give who a chance?"  
  
A voice came from the darkest corner of the area in the forest where we were at. Nino and Ohno broke their hug immediately. The three of us recognized the voice right away, so we became silent as we watched the tall figure came out from the shadows. He elegantly walked towards us, with a gentle expression on his face, which was something very uncharacteristic in him. And we all knew he was up to something.  
  
"Matsumoto-sama", I said, as a greeting from the three of us.  
  
We all bowed to him.  
  
"What were you three speaking about?", he looked at me. "Or should I ask who were you speaking about?"  
  
Ohno and Nino looked at me, then at each other.  
  
"We were discussing our next hunt", Nino said.  
  
"Yeah, Sho found a human who smells real nice, but he isn't very smart", Ohno chuckled. "So Nino said that it was an insult to go after that kind of prey. I was asking him to give the human a chance. Who knows, his blood might be good"  
  
Matsumoto raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I see", he nodded. "And when are you planning to attack?"  
  
"We aren't certain yet. There are still a lot of policemen around, so I guess we'll wait until things calm down in a few days", Nino stated.  
  
Matsumoto stared at us for several minutes, in silence.  
  
"Just make sure you don't cause a fuss again", he finally said. "Half of my clan is starving or in a bad mood because of the last incident"  
  
"I'm deeply sorry", Nino bowed.  
  
"You better be"  
  
Matsumoto looked at each one of us, one by one, and then fixed his eyes on me.  
  
"Let me know when you are planning to do this. You know that as a clan, what the members do affect the entire group, so I need to be informed on important movements such as this"  
  
I nodded.  
  
He was speaking to the three of us, but I knew he was referring especially to me, and I had the feeling that he had been listening to us for longer than we thought. Matsumoto showed me a twisted grin, and bowed his head before disappearing again into the shadows. My two friends and I bowed back until we lost sight of his figure.  
  
I wasn't sure what was going on exactly, but it wouldn't be the first time that Matsumoto took a liking to a human that another member had claimed first and, as the head of the clan, he had priority over the rest of us. Even still, I wasn't willing to give up my prey, so I knew I had to be careful around him.  
  
I would make sure Aiba would be mine.


	2. Jun

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to [furokugal](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) and [kurosakasu](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) for checking and correcting this text for me.

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I knew those three were up to something.  
  
Sakurai was sensible, but Ohno and Ninomiya was a pair of troublemakers, especially Ninomiya. They were noisy, and always fooling around, never caring about cultivating their mind and manners, like the rest of us. Ninomiya was smart though. He could come up with the best ideas at the drop of a hat, which is one reason why I didn't get rid of him. Ohno, as Ninomiya's partner, was the only one who could really control him, so I needed to keep him around too. I gave them two coffins in the part of our lair where they would disturb the others as little as possible, but I couldn't understand why Sakurai insisted on going there with them. He was different from those two pests. He was intelligent and cultured, and his behavior within the clan was second to none. He always thought about the group before himself, and he had never disobeyed one of my orders in more than six hundred years, yet lately he was behaving strangely.  
  
Ninomiya had gone out of control some weeks before, and had caught the humans' attention, so we now had policemen patrolling the forest, and sometimes far too close to our lair. We all needed to be extra careful when hunting our prey, for a few weeks at least. We weren't attacking humans for the time being, but I found out that Sakurai had been following a human for several weeks. I don't know when it had started, maybe before the rumor had even reached me, but I was beginning to think there was a further interest besides that human's blood. When I personally questioned Sakurai about it, he stated that he only saw the human as his dinner and was waiting for the perfect moment to strike since it would be foolish to do so with all the policemen around. However, one night, I overheard him speaking to Ninomiya and Ohno about how this particular human wouldn't take his bait, and that worried me.  
  
It had never happened before. Humans always took Sakurai's bait.  
  
I began to secretly follow him. Before this human had appeared in his life, Sakurai used to visit various libraries and book stores to get different books, but now he only visited one. The library in which Aiba Masaki, his prey, worked at. He visited it every day, taking his time at the counter to check out his books, which gave him the opportunity to have a conversation with Aiba. That evening, I disguised myself as a human being, and carefully walked through the aisles, trying to stay as close to Sakurai as possible without being noticed, and heard him talking to his human.  
  
"I tried the _hayashi raisu_ the other night", Sakurai said. "You were right. It was good"  
  
"You should try their _karee raisu_ next time, then. It's delicious!", Aiba beamed.  
  
Were they speaking about human food? I blinked in disbelief.  
  
"Actually, I wasn't sure what to have for dinner tonight, so now might be a good chance to try it"  
  
"Oh, definitely!", Aiba smiled.  
  
I could see Sakurai grinning like an idiot, watching the human as he registered his book in the computer. I had seen that smile before on other members of my clan, and I knew it meant nothing but trouble. Whenever we started getting involved with human beings, it always ended up causing problems for the rest of the group.  
  
"Maybe I'll see you there", the librarian said. "I was planning to have some curry myself tonight. I love that place and I haven't been there in quite some time"  
  
"Really?", Sakurai's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
Aiba nodded.  
  
"I finish my shift in ten minutes", he said.  
  
He was flirting. That damn human was flirting.  
  
"I can wait for you, then. I mean... If you want me to, of course"  
  
And Sakurai fell into his trap.  
  
I was beginning to wonder just who the hunter was, and who the prey was.  
  
"I don't want to be a bother", Aiba said, sheepishly.  
  
"You aren't a bother. I can wait for you around here", Sakurai looked at a group of shelves at the other end of the room, then looked back at Aiba. "I saw some interesting books over there"  
  
"If that's the case, I'd be happy to have dinner with you"  
  
The smile on Sakurai's face widened so much that it practically covered his entire face. I frowned as I watched the scene play out, wondering if he controlled the situation as much as he had assured me some days before. As he walked away from the counter and got lost among the aisles again, with that foolish smile still on his face, I narrowed my eyes and took great efforts to control myself and not kill him right there. When Aiba's shift was over, he changed his clothes, and looked for Sakurai around the library. I was really tempted to stop him, and take him to some dark alley to get rid of him once and for all, but I felt it smarter to remain patient and continue watching the two of them, even if it was only to see how far Sakurai was willing to go for an insignificant human being.  
  
They left the library together, and walked down the street to a small family restaurant. I wrinkled my nose when the nauseating smell reached me. Cooked meat is one of the most disgusting things in this world, no vampire likes it, but Sakurai had no problem eating it. I didn't understand. He used to be extremely selective with his human prey. He'd rather stay hungry for a day than catch a human who wasn't good enough, and now he was eating their food. Human food. To vampires, it's the closest thing to dog food in human terms. How could Sakurai stoop so low?  
  
I entered the place, trying not to throw up as the waitress guided me to my table, which I made sure was close to Sakurai and Aiba's, and I ordered the first thing I saw on the menu. I wasn't planning on eating it, so anything would do. I only wanted to hear the conversation between my subordinate and that foolish human.  
  
"I noticed you're interested in history", Aiba said.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Well, you always take out books related to history", the man chuckled.  
  
"Ah, yeah. I like it, yeah"  
  
"I don't know a thing about history or any other intelligent topics"  
  
"Intelligent topics?"  
  
"Yeah, you know... Economy, politics, culture... Things like that"  
  
Sakurai chuckled. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"I see", he said.  
  
"I prefer animals and cute stuff. It's hard for me to focus on topics that require analysis or a higher level of thinking"  
  
"I think everyone has their strong points"  
  
"I'm too hyper and random to focus on anything serious", Aiba laughed.  
  
"I would describe you as energetic and enthusiastic, more than hyper or random"  
  
There was a silence, so I carefully turned around, and saw that Aiba was blushing.  
  
"You're really nice, Sakurai-san", he said.  
  
I clenched my fists.  
  
"I'm just saying what I think. Oh, and you can call me Sho. I'm not your customer here, so there's no need to address me so formally"  
  
"You can call me Aiba-chan, then"  
  
"Aiba-chan", Sakurai repeated.  
  
"Do you think it's too childish?"  
  
Sakurai shook his head.  
  
"No, it's cute"  
  
I was freaking out at this point.  
  
Did he just call that human cute? What was he thinking? I could only hope it was merely some strategy to trick the human and finally attack him that night, but judging by his tone and how the conversation was developing, I had serious doubts. I had never imagined someone like Sakurai, who had been the perfect subordinate up until the moment, would fall into a human being's web so easily.  
  
The rest of the night continued like that. Aiba and Sakurai had a pointless conversation while they ate something that smelled god-awful, and whenever I turned around, I saw them exchanging looks and smiles, which made me sick. Sakurai had lost his sense of reality. He thought himself as a human, but he was wrong if he thought he could openly flirt with a man without any consequences. I stood up, leaving my dish untouched on the table, and walked to the counter to pay for that dog food, making sure I passed close enough to Aiba and Sakurai's table to be noticed. I will never forget Sakurai's face when he looked up and found my eyes on him, silently asking him what he thought he was doing. He stood up immediately, and bowed deeply.  
  
"Matsumoto-sama", he said, in his usual polite tone.  
  
"Sakurai!", I pretended to be surprised. "What a coincidence!"  
  
" _H-Hai_ ", he replied, his cheeks were bright red.  
  
"Didn't you have to work tonight?"  
  
"Yes, sir. My shift begins in an hour"  
  
"I see", I looked down at Aiba. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"  
  
"Ah, sorry. This is Aiba Masaki, a friend"  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Aiba-san. I'm Matsumoto Jun"  
  
Aiba stood up and bowed.  
  
"Nice to meet you too!", he said.  
  
"Matsumoto-sama is my boss", Sakurai stated.  
  
"Oh, I see!", Aiba exclaimed. "It's a pleasure, Matsumoto-san"  
  
I forced a smile, and looked at Sakurai.  
  
"Make sure you aren't late"  
  
"Yes, sir"  
  
I nodded and stared at him for a moment before bowing my head.  
  
Sakurai bowed back, and I could hear Aiba's voice as I walked to the counter.  
  
"You're so polite, Sho. There aren't many guys like you around anymore"  
  
I rolled my eyes, and paid my tab before leaving the place.  
  
I didn't go anywhere though. I hid in some nearby bushes, and waited. Aiba and Sakurai didn't take long to leave the restaurant after me, and for a moment, I thought Sakurai was going to take Aiba home. But I think he knew I would be waiting somewhere nearby, so he told Aiba he was in a rush as he had to be on time for work.  
  
"Why do you work at night?", Aiba asked, looking disappointed.  
  
"I'm a security guard"  
  
"Whoa! Really?! That's so cool!"  
  
"It's just a regular job"  
  
"It's better than working at a library, and way more exciting!"  
  
They chuckled together as Sakurai shook his head, then exchanged phone numbers, and finally said goodbye. I saw Sakurai watching Aiba as he walked away, until he couldn't be seen anymore. That's when I finally left my hiding place, and approached Sakurai from behind. I would've killed him right away if he wasn't one of the best members of my clan.  
  
"It isn't what you think", he said, his back still facing me.  
  
"Explain it to me then"  
  
"He's just my prey"  
  
"So you normally eat human food with your prey?"  
  
"No", he finally turned around to face me. "He's special, I'll admit that much"  
  
"You're losing your sense of reality, that's what I think"  
  
"I know my limits"  
  
"I thought so, but I'm not so sure anymore. You think you're a human"  
  
Sakurai sighed.  
  
"Have I ever disappointed you?"  
  
"Never"  
  
"And I won't this time either"  
  
I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"How can you be so certain after tonight?"  
  
"Trust me"  
  
"I trusted you, and look what you did"  
  
"It's just a part of my plan. For some reason, my voice doesn't work on him, so I have to use a different method this time. That's all"  
  
"Your voice has never failed before"  
  
"I know. That's why I'm confused"  
  
I tilted my head.  
  
"Yeah, I'm confused", he repeated. "That's the reason for my weird behavior"  
  
"I see"  
  
"I would never betray you, Matsumoto-sama"  
  
"I hope so"  
  
"I swore my eternal loyalty to you a long time ago. I haven't forgotten that"  
  
"I wouldn't like to remind you"  
  
"You won't have to"  
  
I stared at him, watching the expression on his face.  
  
"All right", I said. "But if you don't act upon your plan, you're a dead man"  
  
"Vampire"  
  
"Whatever"  
  
Sakurai nodded.  
  
"I'm not going to warn you again", I said.  
  
"Understood, sir"  
  
Sakurai bowed deeply.  
  
I bowed my head in reply, and then disappeared.  
  
I didn't trust him at all, but I needed him for the time being. He was too skillful to simply discard in a tense situation such as the one we were currently living, so I could only hope that he returned to his senses and would actually kill that human in the end.

  
If not, I would be forced to get rid of the two of them myself.


	3. Aiba

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to [furokugal](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) and [kurosakasu](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) for checking and correcting this text for me.

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

Sho was special, but he acted weird sometimes.  
  
He was handsome, nice, polite, intelligent and cultured. He was a true gentleman. I had never met anyone like him in a long time, who was so close to perfection, yet so humble and human at the same time. We had been contacting each other quite often for the past three months, and even had met a few times for dinner, but he never replied to any of my messages nor answered my calls during the day. I knew he worked the night shift, but I still felt he was cold and distant somehow, so I started thinking that perhaps he only wanted to be friends and I had misunderstood his intentions.  
  
One night, we were having _ramen_ at a restaurant in Shinjuku. I was stirring my soup, thinking about the situation, while he enjoyed his bowl, saying it was the most delicious _ramen_ he had ever tried. I also loved the food at that place, but it wasn't exactly what I was thinking at the moment.  
  
"Sho", I said, staring down at my bowl. "Do you like me?"  
  
He nearly spit out his mouthful of _ramen_.  
  
"What?!"  
  
I turned to him and placed my hand on his.  
  
"Do you like me?", I repeated.  
  
His skin was surprisingly cold, but I was only able to feel it for a few seconds because he immediately pulled his hand away, as if the touch of my hand had burned him. I sighed and went back to my _ramen_ , feeling rather disappointed. My suspicions hadn't been wrong; he didn't even want my hand on his.  
  
"Sorry", he apologized. "I didn't mean to do that"  
  
"It doesn't matter. I understand"  
  
"No, you don't understand. This is...", he sighed. "Complicated"  
  
"Yeah, you probably have a girlfriend, right?", I smiled bitterly. "You're too good to be single"  
  
He sighed and clicked his tongue, clearly frustrated.  
  
"I am single. I wouldn't see you so often otherwise", he frowned. "But I don't know how to handle this..."  
  
"It's okay. I understand, really"  
  
"No, you really don't understand, Aiba-chan", he looked at me. "I like you, but we can't be together. It's against the will of nature"  
  
I looked at him, confused.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We are from different worlds. I'm damned to a life in the shadows, and I can't drag you there with me"  
  
"I don't understand you, Sho"  
  
He sighed in frustration.  
  
"I lied when I told you that I was a security guard", he said.  
  
"I see", I frowned. "You didn't have to lie. I would never judge you, you know"  
  
"You wouldn't say that if you knew the truth"  
  
"Is it that bad? What are you? A murderer?"  
  
"Kind of"  
  
My eyes widened and my heart stopped inside my chest.  
  
"You're... a murderer?"  
  
Sho looked around, then back at me.  
  
"It isn't what you're thinking", he said, lowering his voice. "I have a secret, but I can't tell you here"  
  
"Let's go somewhere else then"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"You don't know what you're saying"  
  
"Yes, I know. I won't judge you, Sho. It doesn't matter what you are anymore because I've already fallen for you"  
  
I didn't want to confess like that. It just happened. As I was speaking, the words came out of my mouth without thinking, but I didn't regret it. I didn't understand what was going on, or why Sho had refused to be honest with me, but I wanted him to at least know how I felt. It was my last, desperate attempt to keep him by my side, because I felt as though I might lose him forever that night.  
  
"Do you trust me?", he asked, looking at me in the eyes.  
  
"I trust you", I said.  
  
"Then come with me"  
  
We left our half-eaten bowls of _ramen_ there, and left the place. Sho drove me in his car to the city limits, and I was confused and nervous at the same time when I got out of the car. My legs were shaking, but despite everything that transpired in the _ramen_ shop, I still trusted him. I knew his gentle behavior when he was with me and his personality was genuine, and that's all that mattered to me.  
  
"I have to cover your eyes from here on", he said. "I know I said I'm something like a murderer, but I would never hurt you. So you don't have to worry bec-"  
  
"I'm not worried", I interrupted him. "I trust you, Sho"  
  
He nodded as he took a blindfold and two dark hooded capes out of the car.  
  
"Wear this", he said, handing me one of the capes.  
  
He wore the other cape himself, and gently covered my eyes with the blindfold, checking to make sure it wasn't too tight. When he finished, I felt him pull me close to his body, and he kissed the top of my head before covering it with the hood.  
  
"I'll protect you", he whispered close to my ear. "But I need you to be quiet, okay?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Let's go"  
  
He held my hand and guided me into the forest. Even when I could feel that we were getting very deep into it, I never once tripped over anything on the ground, which was rare for me. Sometimes I trip over my own feet when walking, so I was sure that Sho was being especially careful with the path he took, and probably was clearing the way with his feet for me. He didn't warn me when he suddenly stopped though, so I bumped into his back.  
  
"Watch your step now, there are some stairs", he said.  
  
"O-Okay"  
  
I then heard a noise that sounded something like stone sliding over stone, and Sho helped me down ten or eleven stairs. He stopped again, the same sound of stone over stone could be heard, and he helped me down a few more stairs. We walked down a long and cold corridor, until he stopped once more, and I could hear the sound of a door opening right before we entered a room, warmer than the corridor.  
  
"I'm going to take the blindfold off now", Sho announced, almost in a whisper. "You have to promise me that you'll remain quiet. It won't be good if we catch someone's attention"  
  
I nodded and simply stood there in silence, my whole body shaking, waiting for Sho to uncover my eyes. When he did, I couldn't help gasping. The room was dark, lit only by the weak light of a few candles at the sides. There was a huge bed, which was decorated with expensive ornaments, made of gold and precious stones all over. It was so elegant that it overwhelmed me.  
  
"This place is beautiful", I whispered.  
  
Sho was standing behind me, so I turned around to ask him the million questions I had, but I became speechless when I saw him. He was dressed in all black, his hair was combed a different way, kind of messy, his eyes looked darker, and his skin was paler than before. The sight of him was so frightening that I would've run away immediately if it wasn't for the fact that it was Sho, and I knew he would never hurt me.  
  
"This is the real me", he said. "I'm not even alive, Aiba-chan. I died more than six hundred years ago, and I kill people to survive. I'm a murderer, a monster"  
  
I was shocked, but if there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that Sho wasn't a monster.  
  
"No!", I exclaimed. "You are gentle, and have the warmest smile I've ever seen. You aren't a monster!"  
  
Sho sighed and shook his head.  
  
"You are so pure", he said, taking my face in his cold hands. "You can't imagine how much I care about you. I'm sorry for lying to you all this time, but I brought you here today to show you where I live, and who I really am. I don't care if I've damned myself"  
  
I frowned.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I broke the oath that I made centuries ago by bringing you here today"  
  
My eyes widened.  
  
I wasn't very smart, but I understood him right away.  
  
He would die because of me.  
  
"Why did you do it, Sho?!", I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.  
  
"Only vampires can enter this place, so bringing you here was my way of showing you just how much I love you"  
  
"Make me one of you then!", I said without thinking. "I've read plenty of books at the library, and this is how it works, right? You bite me, and I become a vampire. You won't be killed then, because I won't be human anymore"  
  
Sho's eyes widened.  
  
"It isn't that easy", he sighed, looking defeated. "There are rules that can't be broken"  
  
Tears had started rolling down my cheeks.  
  
I felt so sad and frustrated.  
  
"But you already broke them. They don't matter anymore!"  
  
"Aiba-chan", he said, firmly holding my face in his hands. "It can't be. Matsumoto-sama will kill me tonight. If I change you, he will kill you too"  
  
"I'll die with you then!"  
  
"Don't even think about it!", he frowned.  
  
"I can't live without you anymore", I sobbed. "I can't go back to work tomorrow, thinking that I will no longer see your face wandering through the aisles"  
  
"It will be just like the way it was before you met me"  
  
"I was miserable back then. I know that now"  
  
"Please... don't do this..."  
  
"If you don't change me, you will die tonight", I said. "And I will be a walking corpse"  
  
I slowly leaned in and gently kissed his lips, feeling his soft, cold skin against my own. When I broke the kiss, I caressed his cheek with my thumb and looked him straight in the eyes, showing him that I knew what I wanted, and I was serious about it. No matter the consequences.  
  
"I've had enough of this nonsense", a male voice reached us from behind Sho.  
  
I was startled, but Sho immediately turned around, covering me with his own body, adopting a defiant stance. I looked over his shoulder, and saw that the voice belonged to Matsumoto, the person he had introduced to me as his boss several weeks ago, but in reality, he was actually the head of their clan.  
  
"Let him go", Sho said. "It's me that you want"  
  
"Oh, Sho!", Matsumoto shook his head in disapproval. "You never learn, do you? I warned you a long time ago, but you had to be stubborn and do as you pleased"  
  
"I know I betrayed you, so I'll take my punishment. But he doesn't have anything to do with this. Let him go"  
  
"He knows too much. I can't just let him go, and you know it"  
  
"He came here blindfolded, and you can erase his memories using your powers. There's no need to kill him"  
  
"That could certainly be a solution", Matsumoto licked his lips "If he didn't smell so delicious"  
  
Sho clenched his fists. I could feel that he was about to jump on his boss, who looked much stronger than him, so I knew I had to do something. I was the one who had caused the mess, so I had to be the one to fix it.  
  
"You can have me", I said. "I won't resist, so long as you forgive Sho"  
  
Sho turned to me, his eyes wide.  
  
"Oh, my!", Matsumoto chuckled. "Look who thinks he's in a Shakespearean drama"  
  
"I'm serious", I insisted. "I think it's a fair deal. You'll have a delicious meal, and you won't lose one of your clan members"  
  
Matsumoto tilted his head.  
  
"What's in it for you then?"  
  
"Sho's life"  
  
Sho narrowed his eyes, and looked at Matsumoto.  
  
"I can bring him to the dungeons ", he said.  
  
My eyes widened. I wasn't expecting that.  
  
Wasn't he trying to protect me just seconds ago?  
  
Matsumoto narrowed his eyes as he carefully watched Sho.  
  
"You'll have to kill him yourself as a proof of your loyalty", he said.  
  
"I know", Sho nodded. "And I'm willing to do it, Matsumoto-sama"  
  
"Fine then. Take him to the dungeons"  
  
Sho nodded again, bowed to Matsumoto, and grabbed my arm to drag me along with him. I looked up at his face, trying to read his emotions, but he was completely expressionless. He had tricked me in order to bring me right into their lair, and I had been foolish enough, not only to fall into his trap, but to fall for him as well. I stared down at the floor, feeling my heart sink, but then Sho opened the door, and quickly pushed me out of the room.  
  
"Run away, Aiba-chan!", he yelled just before shutting the door.  
  
I didn't have the time to say anything.  
  
I was left there, alone, in that cold corridor, but then I realized what was happening. Sho hadn't tricked me. The one who had been tricked was Matsumoto, and now Sho was going to die for me. Tears started flowing down my cheeks again as I banged on the locked door.  
  
"Sho!! Open up!!", I cried. "I beg you!! Open the door!!!"  
  
A loud noise came from inside room, followed by a vicious growl.  
  
"NO!!!!! SHO!!!! Stop it!!!! Please, sto-"  
  
A hand suddenly covered my mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and I was dragged down the corridor. I tried to twist and fight against whoever had grabbed me, but little by little my body lost its strength, until all of my limbs felt as heavy as the stone lining the walls, and I couldn't even think clearly anymore.  
  
Then, I lost consciousness.


	4. Nino

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to [furokugal](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) and [kurosakasu](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) for checking and correcting this text for me.

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

It was a quiet night.  
  
It was a full moon, and the forest was peaceful. Oh-chan and I had gone out to hunt wolves since we had grown sick of eating cats and small animals. Then we decided to go back to the lair and spend the rest of the night there together. Lately, as we couldn't go out to hunt humans and have some fun, we had been spending a lot of time inside the lair, like a married couple, but it wasn't much a bother than I first thought it would be. I was surprisingly comfortable with the situation, and wasn't sure that I wanted it to stop once we could hunt real food again.  
  
"I like these bedrooms", Oh-chan said while sitting on the edge of the huge bed and bouncing on it a little. "Sex in coffins isn't bad, but it's definitely not the most comfortable place I've ever done it"  
  
"I like sex in coffins"  
  
"You like sex everywhere, Nino", he chuckled.  
  
"I won't deny it", I shrugged.  
  
He fell back on the bed, and let out a sigh of contentment as he stared at the ceiling, then shifted a little so that he was laying on his side as he looked at me.  
  
"Matsumoto-sama has been very generous giving us these bedrooms for our private moments. I doubt other clans have them"  
  
"That's why we have to make the most of them"  
  
Oh-chan laughed.  
  
"As if you need an excuse"  
  
I smirked as I stared at him and reached for the edge of my t-shirt.  
  
"Come here", he said, patting the bed. "I'll take care of that for you"  
  
I slowly approached the bed and stared at him intently, still with a smirk on my lips. As soon as I was close enough, Oh-chan reached out to pull me down and straddle me, then he grabbed the edge of my t-shirt and lifted it up, looking down at my bare chest.  
  
"Your skin is so beautiful", he said. "So pale"  
  
He bent over and stuck out his tongue to slowly lick a trail across my skin, from my belly up to my chest. I could feel every hair on my body standing on end, as a shiver traveled down my spine. I reached out to entangle my fingers in his hair, mussing and stroking it, while pressing his face against my body. Oh-chan swirled his tongue around one of my nipples, sending an electrifying pulse to every inch of my being. I arched my back at the feeling as I let a little moan escape from my lips.  
  
"You're getting better at foreplay", I said, my voice hoarse. "You used to be much rougher"  
  
He smiled against my skin.  
  
"After nearly two hundred years together, I think I know you almost as well as I know myself"  
  
"About damn time"  
  
"You've become more obedient too", he bit my nipple, making me moan louder than before. "Remember the fights we used to have about who would top? You wouldn't even allow me to straddle you like you this"  
  
I chuckled.  
  
"They were fun times, right? We were young and wild"  
  
He left my nipple to take my t-shirt off. Then, he leaned in and stayed very close to my face, looking at me as he stroked my hair. I stuck my tongue out and playfully licked at his lips, to which he replied with a twisted smile.  
  
"We're still young", he said. "We still can be wild"  
  
"I know", I smirked.  
  
He chuckled.  
  
"You troll"  
  
Oh-chan fiercely attacked my mouth, biting at my lips and forcing his way inside with his tongue, clashing with mine in a furious manner. It turned me on to feel him so eager, so I grabbed his ass and had some fun kneading it while he was still busy with my mouth. Then I grabbed his legs and rolled over on the bed, switching our positions. That's when he broke the kiss, breathing heavily.  
  
"I knew you wouldn't let me top that easily"  
  
"You know me too well"  
  
I unbuttoned his shirt, and as soon as I had it opened, I went straight to his nipples, using my lips and teeth. I felt his hands in my hair, tugging at it as I ran my hand down to his crotch, where I had some fun rubbing him over his pants, teasing his arousal. He unbuttoned my pants and slipped his two hands inside my underwear, squeezing my bare ass, making me so hungry for him that I immediately undid his pants so I could feel his length in my hand.  
  
"Make me come in my pants", he said, biting his lower lip.  
  
"Not tonight, my love", I whispered in his ear, stroking him. "I want you completely naked and begging me as I'm thrusting hard inside you"  
  
After a few strokes, I moved away just enough to pull down his pants and underwear, and tossed them aside. I did the same with my own clothes, scattering everything around the room, and return to his body to find the most fascinating spectacle right in front of my eyes. His fully aroused length happily greeted me, drawing a smirk on my lips.  
  
"Hello there, my little piece of candy", I crooned, poking at the tip.  
  
"Not so little", Oh-chan complained.  
  
I couldn't help but laughing at his comment.  
  
"OK, not so little. I'll give you that"  
  
"Because you know it's the truth"  
  
"Let's see how the candy tastes"  
  
I leaned in and slowly licked at Oh-chan's length, then took it inside my mouth and moved my head up and down a few times, slowly and deliberately. I wanted to make him suffer a little, until he wanted me so bad that he couldn't stand it anymore, and begged for me, just like I'd said.  
  
"Don't you dare bite me", he said in between moans.  
  
I chuckled and left his little friend alone for a brief moment, while I straddled him again and raised his arms above his head, pinning them to the bed. He tried to fight back and release himself from my grip, but even though my body was smaller than his, I was still the stronger one.  
  
"You look so lovely, Oh-chan", I licked along his jawline to his earlobe. "I would just love to eat you up… literally"  
  
"Sorry, I'm already dead", he chuckled.  
  
"Your only flaw"  
  
Without giving any warning, I introduced myself inside of him. He growled and sank his nails into my skin, but I could feel him shivering with pleasure at the same time. I knew he liked it that way. He loved when it was rough and wild, just as I did. Unable to hold back any longer, I began thrusting furiously in and out as I took his length in my hand once again and stroked it, matching the rhythm of my thrusts.  
  
"Tell me how much you want to come in my hand", I said as I bit his earlobe.  
  
I could hear him gasping and moaning at my bite.  
  
"I... I want to come so hard in your hand, Nino", he panted  
  
That was all I needed to hear to lose the little control I had left, and start thrusting even harder, doing my best to wait for him to match my rhythm, and finally we came together. I came hard inside of him, and he, over my hand and chest. I caught his lips in one last rough and hungry kiss, as I felt the final waves of pleasure leaving our bodies, and collapsed on him.  
  
"I take back what I said. I'm glad you aren't alive"  
  
"We wouldn't be able to have awesome sex like this if I were"  
  
"I love how much we understand each other", I chuckled.  
  
I pulled out of him, and lay down next to him on bed.  
  
"Also, I don't miss that freezing feeling I got after sex when I was human", he said.  
  
"Yeah, being human sucks", I replied, looking over at the man sleeping on the couch in a corner of the room. "They're a weak race"  
  
Oh-chan stared at the man as well.  
  
"Do you think he'll wake up tonight?"  
  
"He should", I shrugged. "But I don't know"  
  
"He's exhausted from all those emotions and so much crying"  
  
I snorted.  
  
"He's weak, in general"  
  
"I feel bad for him though. He looks like a nice guy"  
  
"Being nice doesn't get you anywhere. You should already know that"  
  
The man stirred on the couch, and I could see that he was trying to open his eyes.  
  
"He's awake", I said.  
  
Oh-chan jumped up, and looked at him.  
  
"Get dressed", I told him. "We have to get him out of here before sunrise"  
  
My partner nodded and gathered our clothes, handing mine to me. Both of us got dressed quickly, and approached the couch, where we waited for the human to wake up. The moment he finally opened his eyes, I promptly covered his mouth with my hand, so that he couldn't scream, and had Oh-chan holding onto his hands and feet. The man looked at me with his eyes wide open, clearly scared out of his mind, and he twisted, trying to release himself.  
  
"Don't be afraid", I said. "We're Sho's friends, so we won't do you any harm. You've already caused enough trouble tonight, so promise me you'll be quiet and I'll uncover your mouth"  
  
The man nodded, so I slowly moved my hand away, watching his response. Seeing that he didn't scream or try to escape, I motioned for Oh-chan to completely release him.  
  
"Who are you?", he asked anxiously.  
  
"I'm Nino, and this is Oh-chan", I introduced us to him.  
  
Oh-chan waved at him with a smile.  
  
"Where's Sho? I want to see him!"  
  
I looked at Oh-chan, then at the man.  
  
"We'll take you home"  
  
"I want to see him!", he repeated.  
  
I clicked my tongue.  
  
"Listen, you have to go. You can't stay here unless you want to end up as someone's dinner, and we don't have much time", I checked my watch. "Daybreak is almost here"  
  
"I won't leave without Sho!", he whimpered.  
  
"Stupid human", I muttered under my breath.  
  
"Nino", Oh-chan was looking at him with a sad face. "Don't treat him like that. He just went through a traumatic experience, and then woke up here with two strangers. Give him a break"  
  
I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest.  
  
"Just in case you forgot, let me remind you that we're dead if someone finds out he's here. Matsumoto-sama is probably searching for him as we speak"  
  
"I know, but look at him. He's shaking"  
  
I stared at the human and realized that not only was Oh-chan right; his whole body was shaking, but he was also covered in sweat. I touched his forehead and frowned.  
  
"He has a fever", I said.  
  
"Do you think he will make it?"  
  
"Of course, you dummy. It's only a fever"  
  
"If you hadn't saved me, I would've died from a fever"  
  
"That was more than two hundred years ago", I rolled my eyes. "A fever is a minor ailment nowadays. He'll be fine. He just needs some rest"  
  
"Oh", Oh-chan scratched his head and giggled. "Okay then"  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"Help me carry him out of here"  
  
My partner nodded.  
  
"What about Sho?", the man insisted.  
  
"Shut up already!", I groaned. "Forget about him. We're leaving this place right now!"  
  
The man whimpered again, but didn't say anything. I guess I'd scared him enough, and he probably didn't trust us as much as to defy me. I went ahead and checked the corridors to make sure that no one would see us, and then motioned for Oh-chan to quickly leave the room. He gave the man a piggyback ride out of the lair, and then I carried him to a hospital, since I had no idea where he lived and he needed someone to take care of him. I wasn't only stronger than Oh-chan, I was faster too, but that's just because I was older than him by a hundred and thirty years. By the time I had gotten back to our home, Oh-chan was waiting for me at the entrance, clearly relieved that I was able to make it on time. I could see it on his face, and felt it in the kiss he gave me while squeezing me tight.  
  
" _Okaeri_ ", he smiled.  
  
"Silly", I chuckled.  
  
"Do you really think he'll be OK?"  
  
"Yeah, he will. I always say that humans are weak, but they're actually stronger than we think. Even with their weak bodies, they can still overcome tough situations"  
  
"I'm worried about him though. He's going to miss Sho"  
  
"Probably"  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Let's go inside", I said. "I can already see the sun behind the mountains"  
  
Oh-chan nodded, and we both entered the lair.  
  
I didn't say it aloud, but I was worried about the human too. I knew Matsumoto-sama wouldn't give him up that easily after finding him in our hiding place, so we could only hope that foolish man had some common sense and didn't go wandering around alone at night.  
  
Or he would end up dead.


	5. Ohno

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to [furokugal](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) and [kurosakasu](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) for checking and correcting this text for me.

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

Almost six months had passed.  
  
Aiba Masaki had recovered pretty quickly from his fever, and needed only a day to return to his job. Nino and I watched over him on that day, just in case he needed some help, but once he was fully recovered Nino said we had nothing to do with him anymore. The human was safe and sound, even though he looked depressed, and my partner said it wasn't our place to do anything about it. I knew he was right. He was the smart one, after all. However, I couldn't help but feeling bad about the situation. I felt responsible for Aiba. He was only a human. He had gone through a traumatic experience, and lost the one he loved right in front of his eyes. I felt it was wrong of us to just abandon him like that.  
  
"You were at the library today, weren't you?", Nino asked off-handedly.  
  
He was busy playing with some device he had recently bought, so he didn't look up when I came into the room, carrying several bags full of stuff I had bought that evening. It was mainly art supplies, but there were a couple of old books among the canvases and brushes that Nino had seemed to notice.  
  
"That's right", I said, placing the bags on a table.  
  
I started to put the things away, placing one of the canvases on my easel, and my new brushes on the little table I used when I painted. I observed my new shiny supplies with a smile as Nino finally looked up from whatever he was doing on that little machine, and clicked his tongue.  
  
"Didn't I tell you not to?"  
  
"Why? I wanted to read some books"  
  
He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"And when exactly did you take an interest in reading?"  
  
"I don't know", I shrugged. "Today? Yesterday? Last week?"  
  
"Don't mess with me!"  
  
I sighed, grabbed the two books I had checked out of the library, and threw the empty bag away as I handed them to Nino, motioning for him to take a look at them. He rolled his eyes, but I poked his shoulder with the edge of one of the books, so he didn't have a choice.  
  
"Human psychology?", he raised an eyebrow as he read the titles.  
  
"They're pretty interesting. You should read them"  
  
"What for? I don't want to understand human behavior"  
  
"You should try to understand it. Hunting would be easier then, don't you think?"  
  
Nino stared at me for a long moment.  
  
"Oh-chan, stop it"  
  
"Why? What am I doing?"  
  
"You don't want to understand human behavior, and you could care less about reading books. You just went to the library to check on that human"  
  
"You're wrong"  
  
"No, I'm not", he snorted. "Didn't I tell you to leave him alone?"  
  
I looked down at my feet.  
  
"I just...", I sighed. "I can't do it"  
  
"You're going to get him killed"  
  
"I would never!"  
  
"I know you wouldn't kill him yourself, but just imagine if someone followed you"  
  
"Matsumoto-sama already knows where he works", I frowned. "Actually, I saw him around the library not too long ago"  
  
"You did?!", Nino's eyes widened. "Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"Because I don't think it's the human that he's looking for"  
  
Nino clicked his tongue and looked away. He didn't say anything for a while, and I just stood there, looking at him, waiting for his reaction. When he finally looked at me again, his eyes were dark, and I could see the worried expression on his face.  
  
"You shouldn't poke your nose in their business"  
  
"But Sho is our friend!"  
  
"He isn't here anymore!", he exclaimed, raising his voice.  
  
I couldn't even remember the last time Nino had yelled at me like that. Probably because he had never done it before, so I was shocked. I couldn't believe he was so closed to helping someone who was important to one of our best friends. He knew perfectly well that Sho would want us to protect the man for him.  
  
"I don't understand you", I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "When did you become this cold, Nino? I know you have your own way of expressing yourself, but you're being too stubborn about this"  
  
"I'm only thinking of your safety"  
  
"If I was a human again, and you weren't able to be there to protect me, wouldn't you have wanted your closest friends to do it for you if they could? I think it's wrong to leave the man in fate's hands"  
  
"Can't you see? His fate has already been decided. If you try to stop Matsumoto-sama, I don't even want to think about what might happen"  
  
I sighed and approached him as I wrapped my arms around his waist.  
  
"I know you're worried about me", I said, stroking his hair. "But there's still a chance that human can be saved"  
  
"I don't want to save him if that means risking your existence"  
  
I smiled and leaned in to kiss his lips.  
  
"That won't happen if you help me", I said, almost in a whisper. "I can't do it alone"  
  
"Don't ask me to do that. It isn't fair"  
  
I sighed again, showing my frustration.  
  
"Then I'll just have to do it alone"  
  
"No, you won't do it! I'm serious, Oh-chan. You aren't going there again"  
  
"It's already decided"  
  
"Fuck off!!"  
  
He pushed me away, took the books, and threw them against the wall with so much strength that he made a hole there, and several pages scattered around the floor. I watched the scene with astonishment, and then looked at my partner, who had his fists clenched and was breathing heavily.  
  
"If you want to disappear, fine", he said. "But don't ask me to help you. Don't ask me to help you to die, because that isn't fair. It isn't fair that you make me happy for nearly two hundred years, and now you want to go and destroy everything for some stupid human being"  
  
"Nino..."  
  
He stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard that the walls trembled. And my heart trembled with them. I knew he was only worried, he wasn't really mad at me, but his words hurt more than a million daggers stabbing my body at the same time. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it. Nino didn't understand. I couldn't let the human die like that. Not without exhausting all the possibilities first.  
  
The next day, I went to the library again. I used the excuse of returning the books, and since they were ruined, I could take my time and lengthen the conversation. After all, the human had only seen me once in his life during his most stressful situation, plus my human facade was a little different than my usual appearance, so he might not even remember me.  
  
"Good evening", I said, placing the books on the counter. "I've come to return these, but I had an accident yesterday. I dropped them, and... well..."  
  
Aiba checked the books, and his eyes widened.  
  
"Whoa! They're completely trashed. How did you drop them?"  
  
"On my way home. It was raining, and the ground was soaking wet"  
  
"Ah, I see", he took out one of the loose pages. "I don't think we can salvage these, so I'm afraid I will have to ask you to pay for them"  
  
"I understand. How much is it?"  
  
He checked in the computer for a moment, and finally turned to me.  
  
"This one is 2500¥, and the other is 3000¥"  
  
I pulled my wallet out of my pocket and handed him the money.  
  
"Would you like to keep them?", he asked as he gave me my change.  
  
"No, you can throw them away"  
  
"Okay, then. Thanks for coming. I hope to see you again", he bowed with a smile.  
  
I bowed back at him, but didn't move.  
  
He looked at me confusingly, probably wondering why I was still standing there.  
  
"Don't you recognize me?", I asked him.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"I'm Ohno Satoshi"  
  
He blinked, and tilted his head.  
  
"Oh-chan", I tried again. "Sho's friend"  
  
Aiba's eyes widened so much I thought they would pop out of his head.  
  
"I know it's sudden", I said. "But can we talk?"  
  
"About what?", he frowned.  
  
"About Sho"  
  
"I don't want to talk about him"  
  
"It's important"  
  
He stared at me, trying to read the expression on my face.  
  
I just looked him in the eye, hoping it would show him that I was serious.  
  
"I have a break in fifteen minutes", he sighed. "It's only twenty minutes though. I don't know if that's enough time"  
  
"It's enough", I nodded. "I'll wait for you outside"  
  
I left the building and waited at the main door. I didn't even bother to hide while I was there. I only wanted time to go by fast, and get out of there before Matsumoto-sama or one of his informants spotted me. Our boss had made sure the entire clan knew his intentions with the human, Aiba Masaki, so I knew I would be doomed if someone saw me there.  
  
"Sorry for the wait"  
  
Aiba approached me, wearing a thick coat.  
  
I always forgot that winter is cold for humans.  
  
"It's okay", I said, looking at him. "How are you? Last time we met, you had a fever and well, it wasn't exactly the best of times for you"  
  
"I'm doing okay, but I can't really say I'm fine"  
  
"It's because you miss Sho, right?"  
  
Aiba lowered his head.  
  
"Right", he replied in a thin voice.  
  
"You won't have to miss him anymore"  
  
I could see tears rolling down his cheeks.  
  
"He isn't coming back...", he sobbed. "And it's entirely my fault"  
  
He looked so pitiful that I couldn't stand it.  
  
I sighed, and placed my hands on his shoulders, trying to comfort him.  
  
"He didn't go anywhere. He has been watching over you all this time"  
  
"Are you going to tell me that vampires go to heaven and can watch over people, like some kind of angels?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous", a voice behind me said. "He wasn't killed"  
  
That voice. I knew it so well.  
  
I turned around, and smiled.  
  
"Nino", I greeted him.  
  
"These stupid human beings think everything is as easy in our society as it is in theirs", he snorted. "Vampires aren't killed when they betray their clan. We are exiled"  
  
Aiba had looked up the moment he heard Nino.  
  
"But Sho said he would be killed", he said.  
  
"Bullshit! He lied to you, so you wouldn't insist on seeing him anymore"  
  
"He did it for you", I said. "He knows the only solution for all of this is turning you, but he thinks you have the right to enjoy your life as a human"  
  
"I don't want my stupid life without him in it", Aiba frowned.  
  
"We know. That's why we're here"  
  
"Well, I was kind of forced into this", Nino clicked his tongue. "My idiot partner here wanted to commit suicide alone, and I couldn't allow it"  
  
I smiled at his words, but was distracted by Aiba, who reminded me that it wasn't the time to be thinking about how much I loved Nino, or how I would cover him in kisses the moment we reached our lair and had some privacy.  
  
"What do you mean?", he asked.  
  
"Sho is miserable right now", I explained. "He doesn't have a home or a family. On top of it, he can't be with the person he fell in love with, because he's so stubborn that he thinks you will be happier as a human rather than staying by his side"  
  
"I want to see him", Aiba said.  
  
"It won't be easy. He wants you to think he's dead, so he won't come out of the shadows that easily"  
  
"I see", the man frowned again. "What should I do, then?"  
  
"We have a plan", Nino said. "The only problem is that we'll probably catch other vampire's attention too. If Matsumoto-sama shows up before Sho, you're dead"  
  
"I'm willing to take the risk!", Aiba exclaimed right away.  
  
Nino blinked.  
  
"You're braver than I expected"  
  
"I'm not brave", Aiba said. "I just want to be with Sho. I prefer taking this risk and dying if it doesn't go well, than living like I did for the past six months. It has been the closest thing to hell I've ever experienced"  
  
"Okay, then", Nino nodded. "Come with us"  
  
"Eh?! Right now?! I'm in the middle of work..."  
  
"You don't need a job anymore"  
  
Nino and I took the man with us, and I prayed our plan was successful.  
  
It was the only chance for Aiba and Sho to be saved.


	6. Sho

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to [furokugal](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) and [kurosakasu](http://www.livejournal.com/editjournal.bml?journal=sutekihanashi&itemid=27139#) for checking and correcting this text for me.

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I always made sure that Aiba-chan reached home safely.  
  
More than six months had passed since I had brought him to the clan's lair, and he had thought me dead during that time, but I was still watching over him. Hidden among the shadows. I knew we couldn't be together, especially now that I had no safe place to hide or a family that could protect me, but I still cared too much about him to leave him wandering around unprotected. Besides, I knew that sooner or later Matsumoto-sama would try to kill him, and I would have to be there to stop him.  
  
I had seen Ohno in his human form, visiting the library where Aiba-chan worked a few times as of late. I thought it strange, but he only went in for a few minutes, picked out his books, and left, so I didn't give it too much thought. However, that night Ohno didn't leave right away. He left without any books, and waited by the door. Minutes later, I was surprised to see Aiba-chan walking out of the building to talk to him, and was even more surprised when Nino joined them in the middle of their conversation. I couldn't hear what they were speaking about, but I knew those two were up to something, so I decided to follow them when they left, taking Aiba-chan with them.  
  
They went clubbing, and were drinking for almost three hours. At first, I didn't understand why Ohno and Nino would want to go clubbing with Aiba-chan, or why Aiba-chan would go clubbing with two strangers during the week, when he had to work the next day, but then I figured it out. It seemed that Ohno had been talking to Aiba-chan at the library the past few months in order to win his trust, and now that he had it, he had tricked him with the excuse of going clubbing with Nino, his close friend, but what they really wanted was to kill him. I knew it the moment they took advantage of his tipsiness, and brought him down a dark alley.  
  
"I've been anticipating this moment", Nino whispered, licking Aiba-chan's neck. "You're so lovely, Masaki"  
  
Ohno lifted the edge of Aiba-chan's shirt and looked at his abdomen, licking at his own lips. I clenched my fists while I watched them from my hiding place. I grew so jealous and angry that I wanted to jump out and kick their two filthy asses right there, but Aiba-chan thought I was dead, and it would be much better if he continued to think that way. If he knew I was alive, he would want to come with me, and I couldn't allow myself to ruin his life like that.  
  
"I could eat you right here", Ohno said, kissing Aiba-chan's skin.  
  
"Then eat me?", Aiba-chan giggled.  
  
He didn't know what he was saying.  
  
He didn't have a clue how literal Ohno's words were.  
  
"Are you sure about that?", Nino smirked.  
  
"Yeah", Aiba-chan moaned. "I want you guys"  
  
"We want you too..."  
  
I could see Nino's fangs sticking out as he approached Aiba-chan's neck, and I knew I had no choice. I had to save him. I was certain that I would regret it later, but if I allowed Nino to bite Aiba-chan, I would regret it even more. I quickly approached them, and pushed Ohno away with my arm, throwing him against a wall, then grabbed Nino's hair and pulled his head back, so that he was looking at me , his fangs still out and his eyes filled with desire for blood.  
  
"Don't you dare touch him", I said, furiously clenching my teeth.  
  
I threw him against the same wall I had thrown Ohno seconds before, and placed my arm around Aiba-chan's waist to take him with me as I got out of there in a hurry. While I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, I could feel his arms winding around my neck, and his facegently resting against my chest.  
  
"Sho...", he whispered.  
  
I protectively placed my free hand on his head and jumped into the forest, making my way to the dark spot I had found to hide, at least for the time being. Once we were there, I set him down on the padded piece of cloth I used as bed, and closed off the entrance right away. I hadn't even turned around, when I heard rushed footsteps, and felt a pair of arms wrapping around me, squeezing me tight.  
  
"I missed you so much", Aiba-chan sobbed. "Why did you lie to me?"  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
"You won't disappear again, right? You'll stay with me"  
  
I turned around in his arms, and looked at him. His face was covered in tears, but he was still so beautiful, so pure, and so innocent. I reached out to brush the bangs from his forehead, then wrapped him in my arms, pulling him against my body. I had missed him too. So badly.  
  
"I will", I said. "These six months have been extremely difficult for me as well, and now that I have you in my arms... I don't think I can go back to watching you from a distance"  
  
"You've been watching me?"  
  
"All the time"  
  
He moved away, just enough to look at me.  
  
"I want to be with you, Sho", he said. "If being with a human is against the rules, make me one of you. I said the same thing to you six months ago, but I know you didn't take me seriously"  
  
"I did"  
  
"Then why didn't you do it?", he frowned.  
  
"I don't know. I thought you could be happy with your human life if I disappeared"  
  
He stroked my hair.  
  
"Don't you understand that you are my happiness now? If I can't be with you, I don't want any kind of life, it doesn't matter if it's as human or as a vampire. I just don't want it, Sho"  
  
"You'll have to give up everything, and that isn't fair"  
  
"I don't care about anything I have right now. I don't want it if I can't be with you"  
  
"You don't know what you're saying, Aiba-chan"  
  
"I know I won't be able to go back to my apartment or my job, and I probably won't be able to see my family anymore, but I decided that I want to be with you. I know what I'm asking for"  
  
I sighed, and gently caressed his cheek.  
  
"Are you sure about this?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I'm sure"  
  
I stared at him in silence.  
  
"I'll try to make as painless as I possibly can"  
  
I leaned in, and slowly caught his lips in a gentle kiss as I walked us to the cloth bedding where I had set him down before. I felt him kissing me back as I grabbed the edge of his t-shirt, and got rid of it. He unbuttoned my shirt as we deepened the kiss, and I helped him to lie back on the padded cloth, only to lie over him as soon as he was on the floor. He shivered under my touch as I ran my hand down his chest to his stomach, and stopped there to play a little around his bellybutton with my fingertips. Aiba-chan moaned into the kiss we hadn't yet broken as he caressed the muscles in my arms, drawing along their shapes with his warm fingers, and then ran his hands down the sides of my body to reach my pants and undo them.  
  
"I almost went crazy when I saw you in that alleyway with my friends", I whispered against his lips, as I undid his pants and pulled them all the way down to his ankles. "I seriously wanted to kill them"  
  
"I know", he smirked, tossing his pants off with his feet.  
  
"You knew?", I asked, surprised.  
  
"Everything was planned", Aiba-chan pulled my pants and underwear down all at once. "I just wanted you to show up"  
  
I blinked.  
  
"I think you've spent too much time with Nino", I chuckled.  
  
"It was his idea"  
  
"I can tell", I kissed his shoulder. "For once, I like one of his ideas"  
  
"Shut up and kiss me"  
  
Aiba-chan threw his arms around my neck, and pulled me down for another kiss, more passionate than the one before. I opened my eyes in surprise at first, then smiled and kissed him back just as hungrily, showing him how much I wanted him. I kicked my clothes away with my feet as I played with the waistband of his underwear, but didn't pull them down just yet. I preferred to move myself over his crotch a little first, causing friction between us. A friction that sent shivers down my spine and, judging by the way he arched his back, caused the same feeling in him. This only served to arouse me even more.  
  
"I would've never thought you were such a tease", he chuckled.  
  
"I like to play sometimes too", I smirked.  
  
I grabbed at his waistband and pulled his underwear down this time, quickly getting rid of it. I still held onto one of the tubes of lubricant that I used when I had hunted humans, prior to meeting Aiba-chan, so I took it out and poured a generous amount onto my fingers. I wanted him to be as prepared and comfortable as possible, so that he wouldn't experience much pain, so I took my time with the preliminaries until I felt he was excited enough to bear my thrusts. Being inside of Aiba-chan was better than any other human I had ever tried before. It was just as warm as his smile, and as delicious as his scent.  
  
I reached out to help relieve his tension while I leaned in to kiss his lips, and then I found myself trailing kisses down his jawline, getting lost in that scent that drove me crazy, getting carried away by the softness of his warm skin. I moved and thrust into him, making him moan and throw his head back, exposing his neck to me. His beautiful, supple, human neck, that had awakened my predatory instincts since the very first day I'd laid eyes on him. Before I realized it, I was leaning in, and giving him my final thrusts as I sank my fangs into his tender skin.  
  
Aiba-chan exploded in my hand as he pulled me down against his neck, and I felt all of the muscles in his body tense up. I felt myself orgasm as his blood seeped into my mouth, sending me straight to heaven. The taste of him was better than any sexual pleasure he could give me. It was so wonderfully addictive that I only realized I had to stop when I felt his nails digging into my skin, and heard him nearly choking because breathing was becoming difficult for him. I had to gather up all my willpower to pull my fangs out of his neck just in time to bite my own wrist, and place the wound over his mouth, letting my blood drip into it. He was trying to get his breath back at first, so he didn't pay attention to my wrist or the blood, but as soon as the taste reached his throat, he grabbed my arm and desperately sucked at the wound. Like a hungry baby tightly holding onto its bottle. The feeling sent a shiver down my spine, and I closed my eyes for a moment, enjoying what for me, was more intimate than any other physical contact we could possibly have.  
  
When his hunger had diminished, and he was no longer ravenous, I opened my eyes and stared down at him, smiling at the vision. I thought it couldn't be possible, but he was even more beautiful than before. I reached out to stroke his hair, brushing his wet bangs off his forehead, and gently moved my wrist away from his mouth. He tried to hold it, but I knew I couldn't allow him to drink more, or I would be too weak to care for him the next few days.  
  
"It's done", I whispered, kissing his lips.  
  
He only looked at me in silence, shaking.  
  
I looked around, and grabbed all of our clothes to put them over his body. He wasn't human anymore, but wasn't a vampire just yet. The transformation would still take several hours, and he would be weaker than ever during that period of time, so it was crucial to keep his body warm. Aiba-chan's transformation was progressing very quickly, so as soon as he felt strong again, we would leave the country, and start a new life together, far away from my old clan and Matsumoto-sama. In my six hundred years of life, I had seen many transformations, so I could tell when a neophyte was strong. If my old clan discovered how strong he was, they would probably try to recruit him, but I wouldn't allow that to happen.  
  
I stroked his hair, and snuggled up against him.  
  
I would be the one teaching him everything he needed to know.  
  
Nothing would ever separate us again.


End file.
